Repressions against opposition MP candidates go on

Former oppositional MP candidates are still persecuted after the “parliamentary elections”. Observer Dzyanis Rabyanok, activist of the United Civil Party, was fined on Wednesday; Mikalai Charnavus is to have a trial in Baranavichy today. Vitsebsk militiaman Andrei Levinau is waiting for a trial, too.

Mikalai Charnavuc protects interests of entrepreneurs of Baranavichy, he applied to city executive committee for holding pickets, wrote requests to tax office, conducted negotiations with officers of the Ukrainian embassy in Belarus for the Ukrainians to open wholesale markets in a 5-kilometer border area.

Charnavus’s active position has long been irritating the local authorities. On May 24, “Nash Krai” Baranavichy newspaper issued a two-page article, which was ordered, as Mikalai Charnavus thinks.

“Everyone knew that Charnavus would run for parliament, and journalist Khudenka Mikalai wrote a big article “I’d like to fight!” in “Nash Krai” newspaper, where he flung mud at me. I went to law to defend my honour and dignity,” Mikalai Charnavus told in an interview to Radio Svaboda.

Militiaman Andrei Levinau of Vitsebsk will have three trials in the nearest time.

“The first is my reinstatement in work, the second one is defence of honour, dignity and goodwill, and the third trial may be called “I was roped in without being consulted” – a decision was delivered in absentia, I was fined of 10 basic units for being at duty, I allegedly beat a high ranking militiaman, “ Andrei Levinau explains.

He intends to go through all courts – from district court of first instance to cassation appeals to the Supreme Court, and then appeal against judgements of the Belarusian courts in international courts.

“On the one hand, I hope that court will deliver a judgement according to the law. On the other hand, being a realist, I understand that the court will most likely give a judgement, contradicting the law. Everyone understands that any law may be interpreted as one needs,” former MP candidate says.

Both Andrei Levinau and Dzyanis Rabyanok had trials in absentia, though they both didn’t receive summons. Only after the trial ended, Rabyanok learnt that he allegedly evaded the trial.